Tars move to music, place third at Masters

IRVINE — As music blares from the loudspeakers, the Newport Harbor High girls’ water polo team can’t help it.

The Sailors have to dance.

They did it again Saturday in the third-place game of the inaugural CIF Southern Section Masters Tournament. With music ranging from Shakira to Michael Jackson to OutKast playing before the quarters began, Newport Harbor’s players — in the water and out — danced and sang.

“You know, we play the sport because it’s fun,” said junior goalie Morgan Vickers, usually the catalyst for the celebration. “When they play music, yes, we’re going to sing and dance to the words that we know.”

In the end, Newport Harbor (23-11) waltzed away with a season-ending, 9-6 victory over Santa Margarita.

“They just love dancing,” said laughing senior Sarah Roberts, who scored twice against the Eagles. “I would say our key singers are Mimi Bury and Morgan Vickers, and our key dancers are Marisa Cottam and Morgan.”

After losing a Masters Tournament semifinal, 8-4, to Foothill earlier in the day, the Sailors came out determined against the Eagles.

Newport Harbor scored five times in the first quarter, including two from Allyssa Peterson and Mimi Bury.

Both of Peterson’s goals were quick strikes from two meters off outside passes from Jessica Robinson. Peterson said Newport Harbor didn’t want the rematch to be as close as the Tars’ 5-4, Division I quarterfinal win on Feb. 20.

“We wanted to show we were a better team than the first two times we played them,” said Peterson, who finished with three goals and five steals. “And, we wanted to prove that we were better than the first game we played today [against Foothill].”

Newport led by four at halftime and extended the lead to as wide as 8-4, when Jillian Chiapuzio scored from the outside midway through the fourth quarter.

Sailors Coach Bill Barnett used the closing minutes as a chance to give reserves — like seniors Kelly Morrison, Katie Holly, and Devon Show — a chance to play.

“Coach emphasized to the seniors that it was our last game we’d play together, so why not end it with a big bang?” Roberts said. “We did that … Our senior group, we’re just so peanut butter and jelly. We mesh well together. Even the seniors on the bench, they’re always encouraging us.”

Earlier Saturday, Newport Harbor played Foothill for the fifth time this season, and third in a tournament semifinal.

The Sailors went up, 1-0, early on, as Cottam scored a straightaway goal just 1:20 into the game.

But Foothill responded, as Noel Umphrey scored two power-play goals and Brittany Zwirner added another, staking the Knights to a 3-1 lead after a quarter.

Foothill would extend the lead to as much as four goals on three separate occasions, and Newport Harbor would never get closer.

Chiapuzio and Robinson also scored for Newport Harbor, as did Roberts, who is bound for the University of Michigan. Cottam and Peterson contributed three steals to the Sailors’ defense.

“I think offensively, our game was a little better this time [compared to Foothill’s 4-3 win in the Division I semifinals on Feb. 23],” Cottam said. “They still got us, but I think we can walk out knowing that we tried. Just playing hard and not giving up, I think that was really big for us.”

After Foothill won the Masters Tournament with a win over Laguna Beach later Saturday, Newport Harbor was officially the only team to beat the Knights all season, in the Holiday Cup semifinals on Dec. 30.

Another reason to dance.

CIF Southern SectionThird-place game

Masters Tournament

Newport Harbor 9, Santa Margarita 6

Score by Quarters

S. Margarita 1 2 0 3 — 6

Newport 5 2 0 2 — 9

Santa Margarita -- Lavayen 4, Anderson 1, Fuller 1. Saves -- Peckham 8.

Newport Harbor -- Peterson 3, Bury 2, Roberts 2, Chiapuzio 1, Robinson 1. Saves -- Vickers 5, Miner 1.